There is conventionally known a vehicle seat equipped with a structure allowing switching of the seat back between a rearwardly tilted state and a forwardly tilted state (Refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-501852). In a seat of this type, by placing it in the forwardly tilted state, it becomes easier for the occupant to get on a seat in the rear row (a walk-in state), and, by placing it in the greatly tilted state, the luggage space is enlarged (a down state).
In the conventional vehicle seat, when placing the seat back in the forwardly tilted state, a forward tilting operation lever provided on a side surface of the seat cushion is operated. As shown in FIG. 9, through this operation, a stopper operation lever 33 is tilted, and a stopper 32 is tilted clockwise. And, in synchronization with the tilting of the stopper operation lever 33, a reclining mechanism 12 is placed in a free state. When, in this state, a seat back 11 is tilted forwards, a stopper claw 11b provided on the seat back 11 pushes the stopper 32, and the stopper 32 abuts a stopper receiving portion 36 fixed to the seat cushion 10 side. As a result, due to the stopper 32, the seat back 11 is prevented from being tilted further forwards beyond the forwardly tilted position thereof.
However, as shown in FIG. 10, even when the forward tilting operation lever is pulled, with the seat back 11 being in the greatly tilted state, the stopper operation lever 33 is tilted, allowing the stopper 32 to move to the acting position. Thus, when, in this state, the seat back 11 is pulled back to the rearwardly tilted state, a part of the members tilting together with the seat back 11, for example, the stopper claw 11b, abuts the stopper 32, causing damage of the components interlocked with the stopper 32.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide a vehicle seat that is equipped with a structure which prevents damage of seat components when the seat back is pivoted from the greatly tilted state to the rearwardly tilted state while operating the forward tilting operation lever.